1 /5 Bonsai Ninja: Review updated on 8 Oct 25 following the reply from the restaurant:
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Original review:
Terrible service (after being seated we were then told that the table was booked and we were moved to another area. After multiple ordering of drinks, they never arrived. Waiter watching something on the phone behind the server area. After asking to take the service charge off, the waiter became rude and irritated and unprofessional). Pizza fine, pasta dreadful. Would not recommend.
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Restaurant’s reply:
"Thank you for your feedback. Were sorry to hear about your experience. To provide some context, on what was an exceptionally busy evening for Clapham Pride, your party seated themselves without a reservation at a table that was reserved for other guests. We were fully booked in that section but we explained the situation and immediately offered you an alternative table outside on our lovely terrace. Our team then did their best to accommodate a specific order for an item not on our menu, which required the waiter to step away to find the recipe on the order tablet. We are disappointed that despite this and your plates being left clean, you felt it necessary to remove the service charge, which is allocated directly to our hardworking staff who were operating under significant pressure. We stand by our teams professionalism in handling a challenging situation and in all honesty, we would prefer if you do not return to dine with us as we are clearly not the restaurant for you."
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Additional comment on 8 Oct 2025 following the reply from the restaurant:
Thank you for your reply. While I appreciate the additional context, I found your message surprisingly defensive and, unfortunately, inaccurate in parts. It’s disappointing to see the response focus on deflection rather than reflection.
To clarify, we were shown to the table by a member of staff — we did not seat ourselves. Only after being seated were we told that the table was reserved and asked to move. That confusion alone highlights the very issue I raised: poor coordination and planning.
Your response actually confirms the root cause of the problem — it was a busy day (Clapham Pride) and the restaurant clearly didn’t plan or manage operations to meet the higher demand. That lack of preparation inevitably puts additional pressure on the team, which leads to corners being cut and mistakes made. The front-line staff are rarely the problem in these cases; it’s a management issue, and that’s where the learning opportunity lies.
Not paying the service charge wasn’t a matter of disrespecting your team — it was simply a reflection of a negative overall experience. I’d have much preferred to leave feeling well-served and happy to pay it.
Hospitality is about how challenges are handled as much as it is about food. A thoughtful acknowledgment that things could have been managed better would have gone a long way. Instead, the tone of your reply — particularly the suggestion that we should not return — sadly reinforces the impression that constructive feedback isn’t especially welcome at your restaurant.
